Sargon of Akkad

Sargon of Akkad (died 2284 BC) was King of the Akkadian Empire from 2334 BC to 2284 BC, preceding Rimush.

Biography
Sargon was the illegitimate son of a high priestess who placed him in a basket and sent it down the Euphrates River. He was found on the shore brought to Ur-Zababa, the king of Kish, and he was raised as Ur-Zababa's son and was made a gardener and a cleaner of irrigation canals. One day, the goddess Ishtar granted him a favor. Meanwhile, Ur-Zababa had a dream which led to him appointing Sargon as his cupbearer, pouring drinks for the king and having great influence over the king. Later, Ur-Zababa had a nightmare about being drowned in a river of blood by Ishtar while Sargon gained favor with her. Ur-Zababa failed to have Sargon assassinated, and he then sent him to Lugal-zage-si, hoping to have him killed. However, Sargon succeeded in overthrowing Lugal-zage-si, and he was popular, as he had risen from humble origins. He began to forge the first true empire in the world's history, conquering the Sumerian cities of Ur, Lagash, Umma, and others after 34 battles against 50 lesser rulers. He then vanquished Lugal-zage-si in battle and conquered Uruk, and he pressed further south to the Persian Gulf, where he performed the symbolic act of washing his weapons in the water, conquering the furthest point south in Sumeria. He then marched north and led Lugal-zage-si to Nippur, where he was executed. Sargon dedicated celebratory monuments in Nippur as a symbol of his piety, another symbolic act. Sargon prepared another expedition in 2330 BC, subjugating Elam and its capital of Susa, although its dynasty moved to the more distant city of Anshan, menacing lower Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf region. Copper, tin, ivory, and timber were imported from Bahrain, while Oman exported copper and igneous rock to Akkad. Sargon used these goods to show his power, and he used religion in a wise and prominent way, reiterating that the gods had given him the empire. Moreover, he installed his daughter Enheduanna as High Priestess of Ishtar in Ur, ensuring that the wealthy city would be firmly under his control. He appointed governors or native rulers to govern his conquests, and he died in 2284 BC, having forged an empire including most of Mesopotamia and parts of the Levant.